Door-stacking machine.



J. C. STUTZ. noo sIAcKIIIG MACHINE. APPLICATION man ocr. 25. IQII.

1,2689 177., Patent'ed June 4, m18.

' 3 SHEETS-SHEET I..

I. c. suz.-

DooR sTAcKlNG MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 25, I9I7.

Patented June 4f, 1918. A

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

mam?

atboznmp l. C. SITUTZ..

DOOR STACKING MACHINE.

-APPLlcATloN FILED ocT. 25, 1911.

Patented June 4, 1918 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- JOHN c. s'rUTz,

OF livrecrnnarrr, WASHINGTON.

noon-sTAoKINo- MACHINE.

Lanarte,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Fatented June 4i, im 3.

Application filed October 25, 1917'.` Serial No. 198,448.

u To a7! whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN C. STUTz, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mc- Cleary, in the county of Grays Harbor, State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Door- Stacking Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,` such as will ena-ble others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to machines for use in planing mills, and has particular reference to stacking or piling machines.

The object of this invention is to construct a machine which will receive finished articles, such as doors, from a sander, door clamp, or other machine in a planing mill, and will stack them upon a platform 'or movable carin such a manner that they will be piled without bruising or scratching the doors and in position for ready removal of the piled articles from said platform or car.

Heretofore, as far as is known to me, it has been the practice to remove the finished doors or other articles of similar form from the finishing machines manually, and to pile them horizontally upon a truck, platform or other receiving means. In thus loading or stacking the doors, the men must stoop to place the first ones on the truck, gradually working up until it becomes necessary to throw them upon the pile above their heads. This throwingand dropping of the doors has serious effects upon the linished surfaces thereof, bruises and scratches resulting therefrom and frequently the joints being opened. Then, when the truck load of doors is to be unloaded the laborers mustfirst stand on tip toes to reach the upper layers, and remove them by dragging one from off the other, resulting in further serious scratching and marring of the surfaces.

By my improved machine, the doors are taken horizontally from the `finishing machines, whether it be a sander, a clamp or other machine and deposited upon a tilting frame which, after the door has already passed thereon, tilts into an inclined position from which it is carried into av vertical position. As the tilting frame with the door thereon approaches the vertical position, a kick-off device pushes against the lower end of the door and forces it oif the tilting frame, the combination of these actions causing the door to fall against the pile of doors already staclred against the vertical end of a specially designed truck or platform.

lVith the above objects inview, and such others relating to the details of construction, as may hereinafter appear, my invention will now be fully set forth and described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings z* Figure l is a` plan view of the machine with the tilting frame standing in horizontal position,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly broken away in order to disclose the details of mechanism,

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section,

Fig. il is a detail of a clutch operating mechanism,

Fig. 5 is another' detail view thereof,

Fig. G is a detail elevation of a clutch member,

Fig.7 is a side view thereof, and

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of a clutch.

`Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 represents a pair of side members of a frame which are transversely connected by connecting beams 2, 3 and l into a support for the entire stacking mechanism. The forward halves of the side members l are inclined upon their upper edges so that the latter are dropped below the horizontal at an angle which approximates 40 degrees.

`Mounted upon stub shafts 5 which are passed through the forward ends of the side frames l at the lower ends of the inclined portions thereof, is a pair of rocking arms 6 whose free ends are connected by means of a transverse shaft 7. The arms G lie upon the outside of the side frames, and the shaft 7 is ixedly secured within bearing seats 8 which are formed within the ends of the arms. lVhen the arms 6 lie along the direction of the inclined portions of the side members, the shaft 7 rests within a pair of seats or recesses 9 which are formed in the upper edges of the side members where the inclined portions of the side members merge with the horizontal portions thereof The structure formed by the arms G and the shaft 7 is adapted to be raised and lowered upon the stub shafts 5 by the rotation of a shaft 10 which extends transversely through the forward portions of the side members l, and is provided with crank arms `l1 whose extremities are connected to the sides of the arms 6 by means of links 12. rlfhe shaft l() is driven by means of a sprocket chain 13 from a counter-shaft 14 which also extends transversely across the frame structure and is provided with a clutch l5 whose movable member 16 is driven by a sprocket chain 17 from a drive shaft 19 which extends transversely across the rear of the framing structure. The shaft 19 may be operated from any suitable power source.

Loosely mounted upon the shaft 7 is a rocking frame 20 which consists of the loir gitudinal members 21 and transverse end members 22. The longitudinal members 21 of the frame 20 are provided with bearings 23 which loosely surround the shaft 7, and are furthermore tied to the frame members, by means of flexible connections 24 which extend from the forward ends of the members 21 to suitable points upon the sides from which the flexible connections may act as restraining elements to control the action of the frame which will be hereinafter described. The bearings 23 are located toward one end of the frame 20, so that the distance is greater than that from the shaft 7 to the pivoted ends of the arms 6, so that when the frame 20 is rocked into the position where it lies parallel with the arms G, the lower end. thereof projects beyond the pivotal points of said arms. A counter-weight 25 overcomes the greater weight of the forward or lower end of the frame 20, and holds the latter in a normal horizontal position as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. i

The frame 20 is adapted to receive the doors which are fed from the finishing machine, and for this purpose is provided with a comparatively large receiving roller 26 and smaller guide rollers 27 over which the door will progress until its forward end butts against the lower frame member 22 which is projected upwardly a suiiicient distance to provide a stop for the door. When the frame 20 is in horizontal position, the upper sides of the rollers 26 and 27 lie substantially in the same plane as the upper side of a guide roller 23 which is mounted across the upper rear corner of the frame structure. Overlying the roller 28 is a feed roller 29 which is carried between a pair of swinging arms 30 pivoted to the sides of the frame structure, and driven fromrthe drive shaft 19 by means of a belt 31 which passes over suitable pulleys carried by the shaft 19 and the axle of the roller 29.

It has been stated above that the clutch members 15 and 16 are employed to connect the shaft 14 to the power shaft 19. In the operation of the machine it is desirable that this should occur automatically, and to this end a mechanism is provided for automatically throwing the clutch into operation when the frame 21 is in such a position that it is ready to be elevated into upright dumping or unloading position, so that the shaft .the side of the frame.

10 may then come in operation to elevate the arnis 6 and again to release the clutch mem bers when the arms have been brought back into their lowered position, so that the shaft 7 rests within the recesses 9.

Thus, a clutch lever 34 extends horizontally through the rear portion of the frame structure, and is pivoted to swing horizontally upon a transverse bar 35. The forward end of the clutch lever 34 is provided with a fork 36 which operates in a shipper groove 37 formed in a sleeve 38 which extends from one side of the movable clutch member 16 and is slidable upon a bushing sleeve 39 which is keyed to the shaft, and carries thereon the sprocket 40 over which the drive chain 17 operates. Thus, movement of the lever 34 in one direction will cause the engagement of the clutch members 15 and 16, while movement of the lever in the opposite direction will disengage said clutch members. The rear end of the clutch lever 34 extends beyond the rear end of the frame structure, and is there connected with a cable 41 which passes over a pulley 42 mounted on fthe corner of the frame struc 4 ture, and upon its free end supports a counter-weight 43 which tends to throw the lever 34 into engaged position.

Extending in the opposite direction from the free end of the lever 34 is the cable 44 which passes over a pulley 45 on the corner of the machine and thence over a pulley 46 on the side of the frame structure and finally connects to a vertically slidable latch bar 47 which is operative in guide members 48 upon The latch bar 47 is provided with a transversely slidable detent 49 which is operative in a housing 50 carried by the latch bar 47, and is thrown normally into a projected position by means of a spring 51. The free end of the detent 49 normally stands in the path of movement of a rock lever 52, which is pivoted upon the side of the member 1, so that while one end is adapted to operate upon the detent 49, its opposite end is positioned to be struck by the shaft 7, as the latter falls into its seated position within the adjacent recess 9. When the shaft 7 strikes the end of the rock lever 52 its action is to lift the latch bar 47 by the engagement of its rear end below the end of the detent 49, so that the cable 44 is lifted. to withdraw the end of the lever 34 and throw the clutch members apart.

Following out the automatic operation of the mechanism, it is necessary that the clutch members be locked in open position during the period when a door is being fed on to the frame 20, and then unlocked for automatic engagement when the instant for oted to the inner side of one of the frame members 1 falls so that its extremity overlies the top of the clutch lever and a shoulder 54 stands behind the lever so as to prevent the action of the counter-weight 43. However, when it is necessary for the shaft 10 to be rotated, the latch block must be lifted in order to permit the counter-weight 43 to act to move the clutch into engaged position. lFor this purpose, a trip lever 55 is pivoted upon the inside of the frame structure upon a block56, so that it may swing vertically. rlhe lever 55 has its rear end projected below the latch block 53, and has its forward end located in the path of movement of a portion of the forward end of the 'frame 20. In the present instance, the forward end of the lever 55 is adapted to be struck by the forward roller 27, as the frame 2O is brought into that inclined position, which just precedes the start of the arms 6 upon their upward movement to relieve the frame 20 of its load'. As the frame 20 reaches this position, the trip lever 55 raises the latch 53 out of engagement with the rear end of the clutch lever 34, so that the latter is released to the influence of the counter-weight 43, and the clutch members 15 and 16 are brought into engagement. This obviously starts the rotation of the shaft 10 and permits the elevation of the arms 6.

W'hen the frame 20 has been carried into vertical position it is necessary to employ a means for shoving the foot of the door off of the cross piece 22 and onto the receiving platform or vehicle. For this purpose I have mounted upon the shaft 10, practically at its middle point, a cam disk 57, which is surrounded by a cam collar 5S. Extending forwardly from the cam collar 58, preferably as an integral member thereof, is an arm 59 whose forward end slides longitudinally through a slide-way 60 mounted upon the cross bar 4. The projected extremity of the arm 59 carries a transversely extending kick-olf foot 61 which is so positioned that it will ride across the upper face of the transverse bar 22 of the frame 20 as the latter is carried into its final upright position by the arms 6, so that the article which it supports is ready to be tipped olf onto the receiving platform or truck. In this manner, the door is moved from the machine with a minimum of effort and handling of the door.

After the door conveying elements have been relieved of the weight of the door, the arms 6, together with the frame 20 are lowered onto the side members l. This involves a considerable dead weight which may damage the machine by being suddenly and recurrently rocked upon the frame structure,

and in order to avoid this, a pair of counterweights 62 are suspended from a pair of cables 63 one end of each of which is secured to the shaft 7 which connects the ends of the arms 6, and the bights of which are passed over pulleys 64 carried by standards 65 which are bracketed upon the forward ends of the side `members 1 of the machine frame structure. These counter-weights are of such avoirdupois as to relieve the shaft 10 of the strain of holding back the arms 6 and their dead weight and to relieve the frame structure of the jar incident upon the too rapid falling of the door transferring mechanism.

1n the operation of the machine, which has been described, the doors will be fed in to the rear end of the machine and between the rollers 28 and 29, and thence on to the frame 20 over the rollers 26 and 27. As soon as the lead end of the door overbalances the counter-weight 25, the frame 2() will be rocked upon its pivot po-ints upon the shaft 7 until it assumes the inclined position which coincides with the inclination of the arms 6, at which time the lower ends of the side member 21 will bear upon the inwardly projected ends of the stub shafts 5, recesses 66 formed in the lower edges of the side bars 21 engaging said stub shafts 5, so that the frame fulcrums on the latter throughout the remainder of the tilting operation. The assumptionof its inclined position by the frame 20 has caused the latter to actuate the trip lever 55 by the contact of the roller 27 with the forward end of the latter, with the result that the latch block 53, is lifted and the counter-weight 43 throws the clutch lever 34 over so that the clutch members 15 and 16 are engaged and the shaft is accordingly rotated through the intermediate gearing between the drive shaft 19 and the shaft 10. Rotation ofthe shaft 10 causes the elevation of the arms 6 through the elements 11 and 12 so that the frame 20 is tilted into vertical position. As soon as the frame has received its vertical position, the l ickolf foot 61 comes into operation to throw the door. off oftheframe 20, at which time the arms 6 have `begun their retrograde movementand finally fall upon the frame members 1 in their original positions. At this time the colmter-weight 25, brings the frame 20 into its normal horizontal position. The flexible connections 24 limit swinging move- `ment of the frame 20 particlllarly while it is being carried by the arms 6 in return movement to receiving position. These flexible connections 24 are of such length as to permit free movement of the frame 20 to discharging position, but prevent ytilting of the frame to depress its weighted inner end below the pivot of the frame.

As soon as the arms 6 fall into the recesses 9, the shaft 7 contacts the rock arm 52 so that as the latter is rocked it lifts the latch bar 47 through its contact with the latch pin or detent 49. However, this lifting action is only momentary, since the end of the rock arm 52 only eXtends belowl the end of the detent L9 for a sui'licient distance to permit it to lift the latch bar 47 until the clutch lever Sil is Withdrawn, through the intermediancy of the cable 44, a suilicient distance to unlock the clutch members l5 and 16 and to permit the latch block 53 to fall again behind the clutch lever 3d to lock it in open position. Then, the rock lever 52 stands again in position in which it is shown in Fig. 2. It should be noted that the engaged ends oi the detent L9 and the rock arm 52 are cammed, so that when the latter is released by the arms 6 to the action of the counter-weight 52"L suspended from the rear end portion of the rock arm the detent will be iniiuenced to retract against the action of the spring 51 to permit the rock arm to fall below so as to be ready for action upon the return of the arms 6 to their lowered position.

It will be apparent from the foregoing i. description that I have provided a very simple and eifective mechanism, that doors and similar products of planing mills may be removed for storage or shipment without the usual jar and injurious action which is attendant upon the manual removing and stacking of doors in planing mills. The effectiveness of the machine will be enhanced, obviously, by the use of trucks which coperate with the machine by being rolled thereunder and have the doors stacked thereon in endwise relation until the truck is full, and can then be rolled away to a warehouse for shipment of the doors.

l/Vhat I claim as my invention is l. A door stacking machine, comprising a door receiving frame, a means pivotally supporting said door receiving frame in horizontal position, means for actuating said supporting means to 'aise the frame into vertical position to deposit the door, and means to act on the door to remove the latter from the frame.

2. A door stacking machine, comprising a horizontally disposed door receiving structure, means to elevate said structure into vertical position to deposit the door, and a device to shove the door from the structure after elevation.

3. A door stacking machine,\comprising a door receiving frame pivoted in horizontal position, means supporting saidv frame, means to raise the supporting means to carry the frame into vertical position, and means actuated by the framey under influence of the weight of a door' to cause the raising means to operate.

4. A door stackingmachine, comprising a door receiving frame, a movable means supporting said frame, and means actuated byl the weight of a door on the frame, to cause said movable means to carry the Jframe from receiving position to door depositing position. i

5. A door stacking machine, comprising a door receiving frame, a movable means supporting said frame, means actuated by the weight of the door on the frame, to cause said movable means to carry the frame from receiving position to door depositing position, and means to shove the door ofi) of the frame after the depositing position is reached. y

6. A door stacking machine, comprising in combination, a door receiving frame, a means pivotally supporting said door re cciving fra-me in receiving position, means for actuating said supporting means to move the frame into discharging position to deposit the door, and means to act on the door` to remove the latter from the frame.

7. A door stacking machine, comprising in combination, a door receiving frame, means supporting said frame, means to raise the supporting means to carry the frame into discharging position, and means actuated by the frame under infiuence of the v weight of a door to cause the raising means to operate.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

` JOI-IN C. STUTZ. itnesses F. G. CHAPMAN, H. A. EDISON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C. 

